Desk.



No. 704,473. Patented July 8, I902. 1

C. F. DEPLANTY.

DESK.

(Application flied Aug. 29, 1001. (Np Modl.)

UNl'llED STATES '11 ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. DEPLANTY, OF COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO EMIL W. ROESKY, OF COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS.

DESK.

SEEGIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,473, dated July 8, 1902.

' Application filed August 29, 1901I Serial No. 73.712. (N0 model.)

To err/Z13 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. DEPLANTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coffeyville, in the county of Montgomery and State ofKansas,.have invented a new and useful Desk, of which the following is a specifica-.

tion.

The present invention relates to desks; and the object thereof is to provide means for holding a supply of writing material in a pile so that the upper sheet will be substantiallylevel with the platform or top of the desk and for raising the pile as the sheets are removed therefrom. Many blanks-as, for instance, money-order blanks and the likeare put up in blocks or pads, which areunhandy to Write upon because of their thickness and the consequent distance at which the writing-surface is located above the desk. The present invention is designed for accommodating these pads so that their upper faces will be on a level with the desk, and therefore in more convenient position to the writer.

Important features reside in the means for lifting the material as it is used and holding it in the desired position for retracting the support when a new pad or'supply of paper is to be inserted and in the various details of construction, as will more fully appear.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, while the construction and operation thereof is described in the following specification. This construction is set forth with particularity, and it is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to this specific construction, but may be changed and modified within the limits of the claims hereto appended. V

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a desk embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line a: a: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 'y y of Fig. 3.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin all the figures of the drawings.

In the preferred embodiment of the invenvided: A shaft.

tion, as shown, the desk is in-the form of a casing comprising the side andend walls 10 and 11 and an inclined top or platform 12, having at its upperend an ink-well 13 and a groove 14 for the reception of pens or pendesk, and said ends are provided with vertically-disposed slots 18. Slidably mounted in thereceptacle 1G isa follower comprising a basewplate 19, beneath which is secured a sup- 7o porting-bar 20, the ends of which, 2l,project through the slots 18. It will thus be seen that the follower may be raised to or lowered from the upper face of the desk.

For the purpose of adjusting the follower and holding it at difierent distances from the top of the desk the following means is pro- 23 is journaled across the desk, preferably though not necessarily passing through the'receptacle'lfi and having its ends projecting through and beyond the outer faces of the sides 10 of the desk. One of the projecting ends is provided with the handleknob 23, while the other carries. a friction disk or wheel '24. A flatmetal holdingspring 25, secured to the outer face of the desk, bears against the periphery of the wheel and is preferably, provided with the sharpened or toothedterminal26, that constitutes means for holding the shaft against accidental 9o rotation. Keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft at the opposite ends of the receptacle 16 are band-disks 27, to which are fastened the ends of the bands or straps 28, that pass beneath the projecting ends 2l'of the follower and have their opposite ends secured, as shown at 29, to the under face of the platform 12. Retracting springs 30 are secured at their upper ends in sockets 3l in'the supporting-bar20 of the follower,while their lower :00 ends are fastened to rods 32, arranged across the lower end of the receptacle.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. When it is desired to insert a pad or pile of writing material, the shaft is rotated to unwind the bands 28 from their disks,whereupon the springs 30 will draw the follower to the lower portion of the receptacle. The, pad is then inserted, and by rotating the shaft in the opposite direction the follower is raised until the top sheet is level with the upper surface of the desk. As the sheets are removed from the receptacle the pile is gradually raised by slightly turning the shaft and winding the bands upon the disks thereof, so that the level will always be kept in the same plane as the surface of the desk. By this construction it will be seen that an exceedingly simple device is provided which has all the features mentioned in the preliminary portion of the specification in that the writing-surface is always in the most convenient position and is securely held there. A further advantage resides in the fact that there is not as much chance of a pad or tablet becoming misplaced or lost as with the ordinary desk, in which they are simply laid thereon. Further than this, by having the operating mechanism as above described the entire follower will always be moved uniformly, so that its upper face will maintain .its proper relation to the platform of the desk,

and said follower may be operated by one hand. The liability of having one end higher than the otherby adjusting said ends unequally is therefore obviated.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation,-and many advantages of the herein-described desk will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patout, is.

1. The combination with a desk having an opening in its top, of a receptacle located beneath the opening, a follower slidably mounted in the receptacle beneath the opening, a shaft journaled across the desk, a band secured to the shaft and having an engagement with the follower to move the same within the receptacle and toward the desk-top, and a retracting-spring located beneath the follower and within the receptacle, said spring being fastened to the follower to move it away from the desk-top.

2. A desk having an opening in the platform thereof, a follower located beneath the opening and movable toward and from the same,manually-operated means for positively moving the follower toward the opening, and a lock engaging the manually-operated means to hold the follower against movement.

3. A desk having an opening in its platform, a follower located beneath the opening and movable toward and from the same, a shaft journaled upon the desk, connections between the shaft and the follower, and means for holding the shaft against movement.

4. The combination with a desk having an opening in its top, of a receptacle located beneath the opening, a follower slidably mounted in the receptacle and having portions proj ecting beyond the opposite ends of the same, a shaft journaled across the desk, and connections between the shaft and the projecting ends of the follower.

5. The combination witha desk having an opening in its top, of a receptacle located beneath the opening, a follower slidably mounted in the receptacle and having portions projecting through the opposite ends of the same, a shaft journaled across the desk beneath its top and projecting from one side thereof, said projecting end being provided with a handleknob, disks secured to the shafts at the opposite ends of the receptacle, bands secured to the disks and passing about the projecting portions of the follower, a friction-wheel attached to the shaft, a holding-spring bearing against the wheel, and a coiled spring secured to the under side of the follower for retracting the same.

In testimony'that I claim the foregoing as my'own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. 1 

